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Red band on 303 Squadron Hurricanes


StevieD

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This must have been covered before but I was wondering about the red diagonal fuselage band on at least two of 303s Hurricanes in 1940. RF-J (V6665) and RF-A (P3120)

 

Theory 1 – this was a squadron/section leader marking carried over from Poland.

 

 

Theory 2 – This was an experimental ID marking requested by the British. (Think someone has documentation to back this up) If a non -specific order was given to put a red band around the fuselage I suppose the ground crew would have carried it out in the same style as they had done in Poland. 

 

But bearing in mind the high-viz Luftwaffe yellow ID why choose red? Doesn’t stand out too well I’d have thought. And did this experiment lead to the sky band of December 1940?

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Interesting question, but I suspect that at this stage the ground crew will have been predominantly RAF so such a marking will have been specified that way by higher authority.  The principle of "as we did it before" still holds.

 

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Ground crew on Polish squadrons were Polish as they all come across at the same time. Took then a while to adapt to English technical manuals etc but as far as I know 303s would have been Polish

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I forgot to mention that I've also seen it postulated that RF-A possibly had the band in blue whilst RF-J had it in red to further differentiate between A and B flights. The photo of Urbanowicz standing in front of A at Northolt does seem to suggest blue far more than red when compared to the tonality of the red and blue in the fin flash.

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According to "Polish Fighter Colours 1939-1947 Vol.1" it was an instruction from No. 11 Group Signal S.230 of 16th September 1940 and it was trialled on the two aircraft to test how it would stand out as a marking for formation leaders. The results were reportedly positive.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Smithy said:

I forgot to mention that I've also seen it postulated that RF-A possibly had the band in blue whilst RF-J had it in red to further differentiate between A and B flights. The photo of Urbanowicz standing in front of A at Northolt does seem to suggest blue far more than red when compared to the tonality of the red and blue in the fin flash.

 

 

Anything s possible, but the order I mentioned above specified a red colour for the band, apparently.

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5 hours ago, StevieD said:

 

But bearing in mind the high-viz Luftwaffe yellow ID why choose red? Doesn’t stand out too well I’d have thought. And did this experiment lead to the sky band of December 1940?

Because the Germans did not use red very much.

 

One section (three aircraft) were painted with red diagonal stripes as part of trials to develop quick recognition markings. This is revealed in squadron correspondence. Ref 303s/5/6/Air. Date 18th September 1940. From Officer Commanding, No 303 (Polish) Squadron R.A.F. Station,  NORTHOLT. To Officer Commanding R.A.F. Station, NORTHOLT.

 

With reference to your NS/9/9/Air dated 16th September, 1940, enclosing copy of Headquarters  No. 11 Group Signal S.230 dated 16th September 1940, giving instructions to paint a red band round the fuselage of our aircraft, this has now been done on one section, and stands out well.

 

2. The following points are made in respect of this policy:-

 

(1) The enemy aircraft are painted many colours on top notably yellow, orange, black and white.

 

(2) The enemy fighters have a better performance at above 20,0000 ft. there policy is to camouflage underneath, but when seen from above they are easy to recognise.

 

(3) It would appear that our policy must be to remain  camouflaged when seen from above, and be easy to recognise from below.

 

 

P3120 flown by:

 

15/09/40 P/O Henneberg, F/O Januszewicz

17/09/40 F/O Januszewicz

18/09/40 F/O Urbanowicz

26/09/40 F/O Grzeszczak

30/09/40 Sgt Szaposznikow

01/10/40 Sgt Szaposznikow,

 

V6665 flown by:

 

09/09/40 F/Lt Kent

11/09/40 Sgt Brzezowski

15/09/40 F/Lr Kent

17/09/40 F/Lr Kent

26/09/40 Sgt Andruszkow

27/09/40 Sgt Andruszkow

 

The identity of the 3rd aircraft is not known.

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Hi

    great thread 👍

    Something i knew nothing about

  That is what i like about this site, i am forever learning 😀

     cheers

       jerry

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5 hours ago, 303sqn said:

One section (three aircraft) were painted with red diagonal stripes as part of trials to develop quick recognition markings

 

What's interesting if you look at the photo of P3120 with Urbanowicz I mention above, the band is noticeably a different colour than the red of the fin flash. I wonder if P3120 was one of those Gloster Hurricanes that were supposedly painted with their national insignia in the brighter pre-war colours.

 

Thanks for the information of the signal regarding this order from 11 Group, great stuff.

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On 6/3/2020 at 9:25 PM, Smithy said:

 

 I wonder if P3120 was one of those Gloster Hurricanes that were supposedly painted with their national insignia in the brighter pre-war colours.

 

Yes, it was one of the Gloster produced first block. Very possible that the roundels were in pre-war shades.

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